From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Prof Sandy Onor, says nobody is proud of the state today.
He said the deplorable state of Cross River is obvious even to the blind and challenged the people to stop murmuring from behind and pretending that all is well.
Onor, a fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria stated this during an interface with other gubernatorial flagbearers in the state organised by the Cross River State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
The media interface was held as part of the on-going media week in the state with the theme “Governance Under Your Watch”.
The participants included Prof Onor of PDP, Patriarch Ogar Osim of the Labour Party, Peter Odey (Deputy Governorship Flag-bearer) All Progressives Congress and the People’s Redemption Party’s Usani Uguru Usani.
Speaking during the interface, Onor said what the state needs is to bring the right people into governance ,adding himself embodies all the qualities the next leader of the state needs.
“Our state is in a place we cannot be proud of, enough of mumuring from behind and then pretending all is well.
“Our streets are all filled up with filth and our problems are obvious even to the blind.
“We do not need policy statements, there are enough policy statements already and having served as Commissioner, I understand the problem of the state from multiple perspectives.
“We need to bring the right people into governance and I possess the qualities the next leader of the state needs,” he said.
On his part, Patriarch Ogar Osim of the Labour Party said politics is somehow divine and somehow divine providence nominated him and he accepted it.
He promised to run a participatory governance where everyone will have a voice and given an opportunity to play their role.
He also promised to partner with the New York Film Academy to set up a film village in the state and adequately empower media professionals as the fourth estate of the realm.
Peter Odey, the APC deputy governorship flag-bearer said the next administration will consolidate on the gains of the present administration.
He said the present administration industrialized the state and the next APC government will ensure the factories go into production.
He added that the APC agenda will centre around three E’s which are Employment, Empowerment and Emancipation.
Usani Uguru Usani, a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and PRP Guber flag-bearer said his previous performances in government stands him out and he will not propound clichés to impress anybody.
He promised to appoint a pension earner to manage the pension bureau so that he or she can understand the challenges pensioners face and also establish tenant farms so that those who do not have access to land can access it.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the NUJ Nsa Gill said the union is impartial and will give all candidates the opportunity to air their views.
This year’s media week has this far featured a Jumat Service, road walk, media clinic, visit to the veterans, lectures by the Independent National Electoral Commission as well as a health talk by a mental health expert from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.